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Islip, NY Tree Protection: Parkway Planting (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Detached-walk spacing
1 tree per 40 lineal feet
Attached-walk spacing
1 tree per 25 lineal feet
Meandering-sidewalk spacing
1 tree per 30 lineal feet
Curb setback
trees at least 3 feet from curb
Scope
applies within IMUPDD overlay (Art. LIV) only

Summary

In Islip's Mixed-Use Planned Development District, the landscaping standard requires at least one street tree every 40 lineal feet of frontage along detached sidewalks, tighter one-per-25-foot spacing along attached walks, and a minimum three-foot setback from the curb to protect motorist sight lines.

(2) Detached walks: Provide a minimum of one tree per 40 lineal feet of street frontage between the sidewalk and curb, and an additional one tree and eight shrubs per 40 lineal feet of street frontage within 10 feet outside the sidewalk, internal to the development. (3) Attached walks: Provide a minimum of one tree per 25 lineal feet of street frontage within 15 feet of the edge of the sidewalk and a minimum of five shrubs per tree ... (5) Sight triangle: Provide adequate sight lines for an effective sight triangle per the Town Code. Plant roadways with landscape materials that do not interfere with the visibility of the motorist. Plant trees a minimum of three feet from the back of the curb.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4826765; v112 updated 2026-02-24; through 02-24-2026).

Full Breakdown

Section 68-722, Landscaping, sets the parkway and street-tree planting standards for development inside the Islip Mixed-Use Planned Development District under Article LIV. Subsection A(1) requires a minimum fifteen-foot landscaped green space along all interior road frontages. Subsection A(2) governs detached walks, sidewalks separated from the curb by a planting strip, requiring 'a minimum of one tree per 40 lineal feet of street frontage between the sidewalk and curb,' plus an additional tree and eight shrubs per 40 feet of frontage on the inside of the sidewalk.

Subsection A(3) tightens the spacing for attached walks, where the sidewalk runs along the curb, to one tree per 25 lineal feet within 15 feet of the sidewalk edge, with five shrubs per tree. Subsection A(4) sets a third standard for meandering sidewalks: one tree per 30 lineal feet accompanied by a variety of shrubs and ground cover. ' Subsection A(6) separately governs parking-lot tree islands, requiring one tree per 20 spaces. The Planning Board may reduce any of these landscaping requirements under the article's general intent clause, and the standard applies only within the IMUPDD overlay rather than town-wide.

Violations & Fines

The Planning Board reviews landscape plans against § 68-722 at site-plan approval for any IMUPDD development and may reduce specific tree-spacing requirements where it finds cause, but cannot waive the sight-triangle and curb-setback rule without addressing traffic safety. A site plan that omits the required street-tree count or plants within three feet of the curb will not receive site-plan approval until the planting plan is revised.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far apart must street trees be planted in Islip's IMUPDD?
Spacing is keyed to the sidewalk type. Section 68-722A(2) requires one tree per 40 lineal feet along detached walks, § 68-722A(3) tightens that to one tree per 25 feet along attached walks, and § 68-722A(4) sets one tree per 30 feet along meandering sidewalks.
How close to the curb can a street tree be planted?
No closer than three feet. Section 68-722A(5) requires trees to be planted a minimum of three feet from the back of the curb, and requires the planting to preserve an effective sight triangle so trees do not block a motorist's view.
Does this tree-spacing rule apply everywhere in Islip?
No. Section 68-722 sits inside Article LIV, the Islip Mixed-Use Planned Development District, and applies only to development within that overlay's subdistricts, not town-wide. Street-tree planting outside the IMUPDD is not addressed by this section.

Sources & Official References

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